The INCREDIBLE inside story of the urban warfare
which changed Sydney forever
VIEWS TO DIE FOR
by mark skelsey
How did a 1970s plan to raze and redevelop a historic Sydney suburb lead to a kidnapping, murder and urban warfare?
And why does this tumultuous period still play a pivotal role in Sydney’s planning today?
These are the big questions explored in Views To Die For.
Views To Die For has been published alongside the 50th anniversary of the 1975 murder of outspoken Kings Cross activist and publisher Juanita Nielsen.
It’s the untold and inside story of how a scheme to turn Sydney’s inner-east into a future Manhattan was driven by greed, secrecy and incompetence.
The scheme resulted in street violence, an anarchist uprising and Nielsen’s death, but also sparked important reforms to support low-cost housing, protect heritage and allow communities to plan their future.
It’s a legacy which is at the centre of a heated public debate as Sydney, and Australia, grapple with transformational change and a housing affordability crisis.
About Mark
Mark Skelsey is a Sydney-based writer and media and communications professional, with a strong interest in urban affairs issues.
He is a former State Political Reporter, and City Editor, with the Daily Telegraph, and a former Media Manager at the NSW Department of Planning. He is also the founder of Trafalgar Publishing Pty Ltd.
He’s spent ten years conducting interviews and original archival research for this book.
He has a Masters in Environmental Law from the University of Sydney (2010) and a Bachelor of Arts (Communications) from the University of Technology, Sydney (1990).
Mark has an Instagram account called ChangingSydney
All opinions in this book are that of the author, and not of the author’s employers or clients, whether past, present or future.